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Ernst Tanner, seen at his introductory press conference in October, bucked convention Wednesday by trading the Union's entire haul of five draft picks in an increasingly talent-poor SuperDraft to Cincinnati for allocation money.

Ernst Tanner ready to 'find his way' in Union job

Ernst Tanner, seen at his introductory press conference in October, bucked convention Wednesday by trading the Union's entire haul of five draft picks in an increasingly talent-poor SuperDraft to Cincinnati for allocation money.

CHESTER — Ernst Tanner grew his international profile at clubs that prioritized young talent. Whether grown from within or bought low as prospects and sold high as polished pros, Tanner’s track record at Hoffenheim and Red Bull Salzburg is optimal for his prospects with the Philadelphia Union. Where money is scarce, development is the answer.

So it’s no surprise that in his first press conference as Union sporting director, his message gravitated toward the youthful side of the spectrum, toward what the club is doing well and where it can grow.

“There are always things to improve, and from all that I have seen during the time in the academy, we have quite a high standard, which is probably among the top academies in the country,” Tanner said Wednesday. “To be honest, with the academy players in our team, I’m very happy. If you look out and it doesn’t matter where you look to in the world, it is very seldom the case that you play with a 19- and 20-year-old center back, and they’re not only playing, but above all, they’re doing a great job. We will for sure continue that.”

The references to those young center backs, Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty, showcase the frontrunners of an academy churning out talent. After a five-year hiatus in signings, five Homegrowns have played in 2018, with the two defenders and midfielder Derrick Jones regularly in the selection picture.

That’s the first phase, the pipeline to pro enshrined by Tanner’s predecessor Earnie Stewart before he left in July to become the U.S. national team’s sporting director. Tanner is ready to take the team to the next frontier, driving down the average age of players at feeder club Bethlehem Steel and hastening their first-team debuts.

Though Tanner is only just assuming his post officially, mainly due to paperwork delays, he's advised from the side in the last month. He played a part in key decisions in September, to sign 17-year-old midfielder Brendan Aaronson to a first-team pre-contract and 15-year-old forward Selmir Miscic to Steel.

“It was a first step in that direction that we would like to go,” Tanner said. “Hopefully, quite a lot are following. I’ve seen almost all the academy teams playing right now, and there is some talent that deserves to play in Bethlehem. If we do not find enough inside, than we need to go outside and scout some.”

Tanner’s target is a more European model where teens are on the first-team fringe and become regulars or stars in their early 20s. He specifically mentioned the 16-21 range as vital to incubating talent, and Stewart laid the groundwork for that.

Academy progress is one area in which Tanner looks to build on success started under Stewart, where he doesn’t have to start from scratch. He acknowledges that he’s walking into a good situation, with the Union setting franchise records in wins (15) and points (50) on the way to a playoff berth clinched last week.

“In terms of scouting, we need to find our own way,” Tanner said. “In terms of playing style philosophy, there is a way to play, there is something I have in mind, and that’s exactly what we need to talk to the coach as well. I’m a fan of more transition and more dynamic football, more proactive football.”

Tanner hopes to expand the Union’s scouting networks, which often yielded disappointing returns under Stewart. He’ll try to implement new ideas, like the greater dynamism in swapping from offense to defense and vice versa quickly, a product of the modern pressing style that Red Bull’s clubs employ.

But he also realizes the limitations. While Salzburg has done phenomenal business on transfers — Naby Keita, Sadio Mane and others — those deals require an outlay of funds to get players in, which might exceed the Union’s capability. Tanner is also reticent to make the Union a carbon copy of the Red Bull model, since that exists in suburban New Jersey.

Tanner spoke highly of MLS assist leader Borek Dockal, who has fueled the playoff run with five goals and 17 assists on loan from Chinese club Henan Jiaye. A Dockal decision will be one of the biggest offseason questions.

“Borek is a fantastic No. 10,” Tanner said. “If we could continue, he would be our first choice, of course. But you know how the business is, and if it is not possible, we have our eyes open and can bring in something else.”

Tanner was laudatory yet cagey on the future of Jim Curtin’s, whose contract expires at the end of the season. At the helm for four and a half seasons, Curtin is directly responsible for the recovery from a slow start, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he’s in the German’s long-term plans.

“I know Jim for quite a long time, not as a coach but as a person,” Tanner said. “What I’ve seen from the last couple of weeks is good, the way he’s guiding the team. The way we’ve played is not bad. We did not lose too many games. There was one major loss (the Open Cup final) but I told you that it was difficult for us in those circumstances. The discussion that so far we’ve had was quite OK, so for sure we have to sit together and see how good we match and make a decision.”